


Keeping Promises

by theladyunicorn



Series: Death and Darkness [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-04
Updated: 2011-08-04
Packaged: 2017-10-22 05:09:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/234175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theladyunicorn/pseuds/theladyunicorn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lucius keeps the last promises he made his wife.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keeping Promises

After the war everything had changed for Lucius, he had felt so guilty about everything that had happened to his family that he felt like he should make amends in the only way possible. He had never been one to kill but he would if necessary, to protect his family. They meant the world to him and to see the family falling apart, it hurt and he didn't know what to do.

After the war, after it became clear the Ministry were just focused on being their usual selves, Lucius had taken it upon himself to hunt down the remaining Death Eaters, to give them the justice they deserved. He knew if he was ever caught he would be sent to Azkaban again so he did it in the dead of the night, being incredibly careful. Death Eaters or not he was still a murderer and not to be trusted in the eyes of the Ministry.

He felt responsible for Draco leaving and he wanted to make it up, to keep them safe. It wasn't until too late that he realised that he shouldn't have, he should have spent more time with them, told them what he was up to. Perhaps then all of this could have been avoided. Except he was out of time now, he had lost everything that had meant anything to him. Narcissa to death, Draco to... He had no idea truthfully and he hated it. It had been months, nearly a year since he had last heard from his son and when it came to it he had no idea if he was still alive or not.

Watching his wife die in front of him and broken his heart. He had meant it when he told her that he would join her in death, that he wouldn't abandon her again. It had taken time running out for him to realise that he had been wrong. If he could have he would have gone back in time and changed it all, paid more attention to her, told her what he was doing. He had been doing this for her and it had resulted in him loosing her none the less.

Glancing at the clock he saw it was ten to four, much later than he had planned. Taking a deep breathe he rose and found the vial that his wife had used. There was just enough

Nine.

A minute had passed while he had been doing it.

Eight.

Lucius was scared. He admitted that to himself for the first time in a long time. He had been scared for years and years. He had been scared of everything that had come to pass, had tried to stop it as much as possible but he had failed.

He had failed everyone. Himself most of all.

Seven.

Lucius stared at the alcohol in the cabinet pondering if he could be bothered. In the end he he decided not to. Instead he gulped down the remaining few drops of the potion. It would take longer than it had his wife but it would work none the less.

Six.

He could feel the potion working wihtin his blood stream. The blood was boiling, his chest was getting tighter, his vision more blurry. While he could he got down on the floor, took Narcissa into his arms and held her against him.

Five.

It was approaching, the end. He knew that and laying there with his wife in his arms he found he was no longer scared. He was content for the first time in a long time, something he had missed greatly. It was a shame that death had to be the thing that made him feel content again. Or the closest thing to content that he could in the current situation.

Four.

He was gasping for breathe by now. It was one of the most painful things he had felt but he didn't care. He just wanted it over and done with.

Three.

It had to be soon. It had to be. The pain couldn't go on for much longer, it was a fire worse than anything he had ever experienced. He just wanted it to end. Except it didn't, no matter how much Lucius prayed it kept on going, never ceasing, never lessening in pain.

Two.

If anything the pain was getting worse and worse. Lucius would have screamed if he could but he found he didn't even have the air to whisper but somehow, he was still alive.

One.

Soon. It had to be soon. Moving slightly, Lucius looked down at his wife, looking so peaceful in his arms, in death. She looked content and happy if that was possible and that broke his heart so much more than it should have.

Zero.

The clock ticked over to four and Lucius felt the last breathe leave him, the world go dark as the potion finally took his life. He was finally with his wife again, able to make it up to her. He wouldn't fail her again. Even if this was the afterlife they were in.

Reaching out he took his wife's ghostly hands in her and pulled her into an embrace, repeating the promises he had made to her as she had laid there dying less than an hour ago.

Promises that he would keep forever.


End file.
